These writing activities are fun and non-intimidating ... even for reluctant writers. They are designed to help kids fall in love with language and with storytelling. Kids can play with words, sounds, images, characters, silly situations. Tutors are encouraged to write along with the students. It is very motivating for a child to watch an adult play with language. Writing together is a powerful way of infecting a child with a love of language and of building a child's confidence for self expression ... and a great way to get to know more about each other. The activities are designed to stimulate children's (and tutor's) natural creativity (and silliness).
Be sure to send in any work your students are proud of so it can be published on Hip, Hip, Hooray's Gallery of Student Work. You can send writings to hiphipho@hiphiphooraymagazine.com. You also can use the US Mail: Hip, Hip, Hooray c/o Sherina Poorman / First Presbyterian Church of Ardmore / 5 West Montgomery Ave. / Ardmore, Pa 19003
The files below are in pdf format. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. Click here to access the site for a free download.
Fun with Words and Short Sentences: good for reluctant writers
Make a Creature: Create a crazy creature and then write a scrap book for your new baby. gr:1–5
Your Team: Create a sports team, complete with team name, team cheers, team uniforms. gr:2–5
Bragging: Write some very exaggerated brags about your abilities. gr:1–5
Let's Argue: Some questions to get you arguing. gr:2–5
Secret Identity Game: Make clues to help people guess what you are and where you are. gr:2–5
Crazy, Crazy Ice Cream Flavors: Create flavors nobody would ever be brave enough to taste. gr:1–5
Make a Super Sentence: Get wild with describing words. gr:2–5
Inside Out Writing: Learn how to make letters that are optical illusions, (your reader won't be able to read these letters until he or she learns the trick) then practice writing with this new letter style.
Easy Book-Making: with writing activities
Tiny Book: Make silly lists and write them in a book you can make out of a single sheet of paper (with bonus tongue-twisters). gr:1–5
Slit Book: Get a good story started with some silly titles, then write the story in an easy-to-bind book. gr:1–5
Circle Book: This book keeps on opening. It works well for long lists of things like interesting names. gr:3–5
Interesting Surveys: stimulate word–play with easy short answers for reluctant writers
Food Survey: gr:1–5
Animal Survey: gr:1–5
You Survey: gr:1–5
Slightly Longer Writing Projects: for enthusiastic writers
My Favorite Older Person Interview: You'll learn a lot and make an older person very happy! gr:2–5
Letter Writing: This will get you started writing some email and/or snail mail. gr:1–5
Rock, Paper, Scissors for Writing:
RPS Around the World
Rock, Paper, Scissors ... or Elephant, Human, Ant ...
or Snake, Frog, Slug or ...
People all over the world play the game we know as "Rock, Paper, Scissors" ... except they don't all play it exactly like we do. In Japan Rock is Snake, Scissors is Frog and Paper is Slug. In Indonesia the game uses Elephant, Human, Ant. In Laos it is Hammer, Nail, Cloth. There are different hand signs to go with each of the different objects. People in Korea call their game "Kai Bai Bo". In Japan the game is called "Jan Ken Pon".
With a little imagination, your students will see how these games suggest stories. In the Indonesian version, for example, how does an elephant beat a human? – And how does a human beat an ant? – and most puzzlingly: HOW DOES a little tiny ant beat a big huge elephant??!! With the activities below, your students will get a chance to play with the story-telling possibilities of this world-wide game.
Rock, Paper, Scissors Computer Game: Play computer versions of Rock, Paper, Scissors from three countries: USA, Japan, and Indonesia. Also included in this download are animations of the "who beats who" cycle for each of the three versions. (Just how does Slug beat Snake?)
Rock, Paper, Scissors – Creative Writing Packet: This packet gives students an opportunity to play with the story-telling aspect of the various versions of Rock, Paper, Scissors. In the packet the students will be invited to tell RPS circle stories. The packet includes resources for students to:
- Use Drama (includes puppet making projects)
- Write a Story Book (includes book-making projects)
- Draw the action
- Make a comic book (this combines drawing and writing)
- Write a song or a rap or a dance
Bonus: Make a RPS card game
Double Bonus: Make-Your-Own version of RPS
